Cellphones Affect Medical Equipment Says Study

Dutch researchers have confirmed that using mobile phones in hospitals actually does interfere with medical equipment. The Critical Care study, published yesterday, tested the effects of 2G (GPRS 1 and 2) and 3G (UMTS) handsets on various machines (ventilators, pacemakers etc.)

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) from the phones was enough to cause trouble: Seven out of nine ventilators switched off or changed speed, two out of seven syringe pumps shut down without alarms, and one out of three pacemakers went haywire.

It’s important to note how the test was carried out: The handsets were hooked up to a hand held antenna which was pointed at the machines, and “Special attention was paid to poorly shielded locations in device housings”. Also, the effects were only seen at close range (between one and five centimeters – 0.4 to 2 inches). GSM was worse than UMTS.

Still, the figures are pretty damning, and to be honest, it’s bad enough to be in hospital without some idiot gabbing on the phone nearby. So use your cell in the waiting room, but keep it away from life-support. And you never know. Maybe it is dangerous to use phones on airplanes.